Eastern Europe
SBC Summit Tbilisi 2024 Promises Growth and a Deep-Dive into Eastern Europe & Central Asia
SBC Summit Tbilisi is poised to reclaim the spotlight on 25-26 June at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, marking its early return after a highly successful inaugural edition in October 2023.
1,500 senior sports betting and iGaming executives will reconvene in the heart of Georgia’s capital, to solidify their foothold in the promising markets of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, while gaining invaluable insights into the nuances that shape industry dynamics.
SBC has once again partnered with SMH to organise SBC Summit Tbilisi, continuing the event’s partnership that began with the SBC Summit CIS in Kyiv in 2021. SMH is an international iGaming and sports management organisation based in Georgia, bringing valuable local knowledge to an event that incorporates unique elements reflective of the vibrant Eastern European and Central Asian markets.
Lasha Machavariani, Founder and CEO of SMH, said: “I’m thrilled that the SBC Summit Tbilisi is making a comeback to my beautiful home country of Georgia. Witnessing all the engaging conversations and networking that took place last year filled me with pride, affirming that the effort that goes into organising an event of this calibre is absolutely and undoubtedly worthwhile.
“Offering a platform for those keen on Eastern European and Central Asian markets feels not only rewarding but also essential, especially given all the buzz in these markets we’re diving into. If this event wasn’t on your radar yet, now’s the perfect time to start considering it.”
Andrew McCarron, Managing Director at SBC, commented: “Operators, suppliers and affiliates who want to make a mark in the region simply have to attend SBC Summit Tbilisi if they are going to compete successfully. These markets are tricky to thrive in without local knowledge, which is why SBC has partnered with SMH in order to provide the platform for companies to perform effectively.”
Centered on these dynamic regions, the event promises an in-depth exploration of key markets, including Georgia, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Slovenia among others, and guarantees to be a melting pot of ideas and strategies tailored for these geographically diverse regions. The conference agenda will focus on trends including the new regulatory landscapes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the influence of innovations from crypto to AI, and new developments in eSports, payments, and influencer marketing, among other topics.
Last year, the host country had a strong operator presence during the inaugural summit, with industry leaders like Adjarabet, Betlive, Crocobet, Europebet, Leaderbet, LVBet, Superbet, TotoGaming and Vbet making their mark.
Past event attendees responded exceptionally well to the inaugural edition of the event. Tereza Tokmajyan, CMO of TotoGaming, called it an ‘excellent opportunity for operators and service providers from the region.’ Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, described it as “featuring a very active and representative audience, outstanding topics, and speakers”. Additionally, Vakhtang Mdivani, CPO and Co-Founder of Promofy, praised the event, expressing: “Hosting such an exceptional event in Georgia for the first time and setting the bar so high was truly awesome”.
This year’s show floor is set to be significantly larger, featuring over 60 exhibitors and sponsors, effectively doubling the count from the previous year. Moreover, there is an anticipated 70% growth in the count of operator representatives, and affiliate representatives are poised to experience a 50% increase compared to the figures reported last year.
To cater to the growing interest, this year’s event will expand its agenda, commencing with a half-day conference on the opening day (25 June). This addition brings the total number of featured speakers to 60, marking a significant 50% increase from last year.
The first day will feature a poker tournament followed by the Official Opening Party sponsored by Setanta Sports, taking place at Stamba Hotel. On the second day, a VIP dinner exclusively for C-level executives will be held at the Republic Restaurant, followed by a Closing Party at the Republic Event Hall.
Deal would add a Romanian engineering base and 50 planned hires, expanding Super’s European technology footprint.
Super has agreed to acquire Crafting Technologies, a software development company based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, as it moves to open its first technology hub in the country. The transaction is subject to customary approvals.
Super said the acquisition will establish a Romania hub alongside its existing tech hubs in Croatia, Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Brazil, which it says together include more than 900 software engineers and developers.
As part of the expansion in Cluj, Super plans to open an initial 50 new positions and bring Crafting Technologies’ engineering team into the organisation.
Albert Simsensohn, Deputy CEO, Super, said: “We are confident that Romania’s mature and competitive technology ecosystem provides access to specialized engineering capabilities essential for Super’s future roadmap. Moreover, the city of Cluj-Napoca offers a vibrant environment of innovation combined with operational efficiency and proximity to our regional hubs.
“Crafting Technologies will bring a proven internal talent academy that develops engineers and upskills existing talent, strengthening our long-term capacity and supporting the execution of our technology roadmap.”
Gabriel Bota, Co-founder & CEO, Crafting Technologies, added: “Over the past 10 years, through Crafting Software and now Crafting Technologies, we have built a team focused on engineering quality, trust, and long-term partnerships. What started as a small group of friends, passionate engineers, evolved into a company delivering critical systems for high-growth businesses.
“Joining forces with Super feels like a natural next step for us. We already share a strong technical connection, and also a very similar way of thinking about ownership, speed, and building reliable technology that can scale over time.
“We’re excited about continuing to grow the Cluj technology hub together and bringing the same culture and mindset that shaped Crafting since day one.”
The post Super agrees to acquire Romania’s Crafting Technologies for new Cluj tech hub appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alina Mihaela Popa Chief Commercial Officer at ICONIC21
ICONIC21 launches live casino and RNG titles with Maxbet in Romania
Gravity Blackjack, Gravity Roulette and Grand Bonus Blackjack join Maxbet’s lobby, with more ICONIC21 content planned in coming weeks.
ICONIC21 has gone live with Maxbet in Romania, adding a selection of the supplier’s live casino and RNG titles to the operator’s platform. The companies said additional titles are scheduled to roll out in the coming weeks.
The initial live casino lineup includes Gravity Blackjack and Gravity Roulette from ICONIC21’s Gravity Series, alongside Grand Bonus Blackjack. ICONIC21 noted that Grand Bonus Blackjack was “recently recognized at the SBC Awards” for its progressive bonus system.
From ICONIC21’s RNG portfolio, Maxbet players now have access to Lightspeed, described by the supplier as a crash game, and Gravity Plinko. ICONIC21 said further portfolio adoption has already been confirmed for the coming weeks.
Alina Mihaela Popa, Chief Commercial Officer at ICONIC21, said: “We’ve put a lot of thought and effort into our growth in Romania, so launching with Maxbet is yet another milestone for us in the market. Maxbet is trusted and has a loyal community of players, so being included in their lineup will further increase our games’ popularity in the Romanian market.
What really stands out with this deal is that we’re continuing to lay the foundation for a lasting presence in Romania, with more launches on the way. ICONIC21 is becoming a familiar name for players and operators here, and collaborations like this are making it happen.”
Manuel Bauer, CEO at Maxbet, said: “There’s definitely interest among our community every time something new lands in the lobby, and ICONIC21’s games are already generating plenty of interest. Our players are quick to spot quality and innovation, and we’re confident these new additions will become favorites, especially with the multiplier mechanics ICONIC introduces. This partnership opens the door to even more exciting releases in the near future.”
The post ICONIC21 launches live casino and RNG titles with Maxbet in Romania appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
CT Interactive continues to strengthen its position in Romania’s regulated iGaming market with the certification of 25 additional game titles. Following this expansion, the company’s certified portfolio in the country now comprises 126 games, reinforcing its commitment to growth across regulated European markets.
Among the newly certified titles is Diamond Tree, CT Interactive’s latest progressive jackpot, featuring some of the company’s best-performing games. The progressive jackpot includes popular titles such as 20 Mega Slot, 20 Star Party, 40 Mega Slot, 40 Treasures, Chilli Fruits, HOT 7’s x 2, King of Clovers, Lord of Luck, Lucky Clover, Lucky Clover 20, Moon Lord, Mystic Moon, The Big Chilli, Wild Clover and Win Storm.
In addition, several standout games have also received certification for the Romanian market, including Hell’s Cherries, Happy Miner, Blazing Flower, Win Storm Deluxe and other player-favourite titles.
“Certification in Romania is an important part of our European growth strategy. This expansion not only strengthens our presence in the market but also enables us to deliver a broader and more diverse range of premium gaming content to licensed operators and their players,” said Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer of CT Interactive.
Bogdan Smeu, Regional Manager Romania, added: “Romania continues to be one of the most dynamic regulated markets in the region, with increasing demand for high-quality gaming content. Expanding our certified portfolio allows us to better support our operator partners while providing players with access to proven, high-performing titles.”
With these new certifications, CT Interactive further strengthens its position in Romania, offering operators a diverse portfolio of engaging and fully compliant gaming content.
The post CT Interactive Strengthens its Presence in Romania with Newly Certified Games appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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